Riktor

Arrow Suspended coasters are getting rarer, but suspended coasters overall are not really. There are very different variations, by different companies, largely popular in other countries... 9 product lines... There are probably more. I just jumped around the RCDB list. http://www.rcdb.com/8563.htm http://www.rcdb.com/...tm?ot=2&co=6920 http://www.rcdb.com/...tm?ot=2&mo=8404 http://www.rcdb.com/8402.htm http://www.rcdb.com/4022.htm http://www.rcdb.com/3457.htm http://www.rcdb.com/...tm?ot=2&mo=8260 http://www.rcdb.com/3809.htm http://www.rcdb.com/8578.htm I found the Hershey Park coaster of particular interest. A ride that strategically positions the rider so that operators can shoot jets of water at the seats of their pants. How humiliating...

What will the large amphitheater be used for? Note especially the underutilization of Timberwolf and of the large arenas in many Six Flags parks...It was not always thus. Terp, student of marketing and parks, and ever curious My idea was to bring in a worldwide famous musician to produce a massive amphitheater show, what I've described will be "the most utterly amazing spectacle you've ever seen." This show will be themed upon the ideas of unity, love, and world peace, with just about every theatrical element possible. (Terp, you remember the celebration idea I sent you a few months ago? This, I've thought up as a staple to the event.) I have thrown a few ideas at the wall, musicians *I* would chose to produce such an event. The Black Eyed Peas stuck in my mind, as they work tirelessly for the peace among people, and have created some epic good music supporting such values. Listen to the song, Where is the Love?... It really does make you think. For all of you who believe hip hop is generally pretty bad (including me), I'd still strongly suggest you listen to this. Its like nothing you've ever heard. The song One Tribe has a very similar theme, but is portrayed in a much different way. That will go over well... I hardly think many people will see removing a steel coaster and replacing it with benches and art as an upgrade. Now that you mention it, I actually did decide against this "idea", during school today. To be honest, this "modern art park" was designed as filler space, and was never effectively thought out. I've since developed a much better idea... Once that would be (rather) inexpensive, would be able to keep people occupied for hours, and would be incredibly marketable not only to Cincinnatians, but tourists as well. (Also, I must stress that my plans, as a whole, change the entire marketing base of Kings Island. In other words, you couldn't just look at any one year and expect it to be successful. Each change builds on the previous.) I don't believe I'll go into any further detail. If certain Orlando amusement park operators were to need ideas, I'd want them to go directly to me. Edit: My ideas might be a little far out, but just remember one thing. When Gary Wachs first developed the idea for a massive Cincinnati- area theme park, Coney Island higher ups dismissed that very idea as outlandish, if not downright preposterous. I think your idea is half-good (from a financial perspective), and half-bad (from a public relations perspective). First, going with the good, if CF is too deep in debt, then an outright freeze on new investments may not be enough to recoup. Cutting out rides with high maintenance costs and low use may help shallow the hole a little bit. I haven't been the park since I've moved out west, but Back Lot does seem a little gimmicky and I question its long-term appeal. It certainly doesn't have the staying power of The Beast or Vortex. I've also noticed interest in Adventure Express has declined dramatically over the years, and I daresay this ride, though an old favorite of mine (I'm an Indiana Jones fanatic, what can I say), seems like a prime candidate for the chopping block. As for the bad: people generally don't go to amusement parks to see concerts, unless said concert is a festival. Six Flags New England, in its Riverside days, was a rather prominent host to Radio 104-fest back in the heady days of '90s rock. However, the large number of attendees at such events is likely to cause conflict with regular park-goers, who probably want nothing to do with large crowds of screaming inebriated music fans. As I see it, KI doesn't need a kitschy excuse like concerts to draw attendees to the park. Rides and reputation already serve as means to this end. Also worth nothing here: for a time, Paramount did have a section of the park dedicated to showcasing various movie props (the Golden Idol from Radiers, Wayne's car, the Hunt for the Red October subs), and from what I remember that place was virtually deserted. People go to the park to ride the rides, and I don't think it a smart move to take rides out and replace them with what essentially amounts to nothing.

I may be tempted to believe the steel to be of inferior quality. KC was really just a prototype; I believe the clone at Kings Dominion is supposed to be the "final draft" of TOGO's stand-up. However, one of the reasons cited for the removal of the Cobra was "lack of interest" by park-goers. It isn't that it was a bad ride, but it certainly didn't hold a candle to burn to The Beast or Vortex in terms of notoriety and drawing power. From what I heard, and again, this is just rumor, that management couldn't justify spending money on maintenance when not that many people were lining up to get on it. A better investment strategy would be to tear the thing down and get a "better" ride... Firehawk, for instance.

It seems like Kings Island has declined a bit since Paramount took over. It's almost like they are trying too hard to be like Six Flags, focusing all their attention of theming rides after marketable films. In passing hands between Paramount, then to Cedar, and now onto God knows who (yup, Cedar put the franchise up for sale already), they've demolished a number of memorable rides and totally killed the atmosphere of the old park. My list of complaints is as follows: 1- They painted The Beastie PASTEL PURPLE???? WHAT THE HELL... 2- The proceeded to rename The Beastie the "Fairly Odd Coaster" and put two fairies on the front? Huh? Maybe the vulture standing guard over the entrance to the ride may have been a little frightening for kids, but come on! It's a roller coaster, for crying out loud! It's supposed to scare you! 3- The ripped out KCKC, which made its debut in the 1964 World's Fair, for what appears to be a derivative tumbler ride based on one of the worst movies I ever had the misfortune of seeing. Of all the adventure movies paramount produced, they went with what is by far the worst. They could have themed it after Indiana Jones. It would still be the same dysfunctional ride, but at least the source material would be Oscar quality.... 4- King Cobra. OK, the thing was old. It was old, and it was also a prototype. There's no way it could have competed with the bigger, badder rides in the park, and I understand that. Still, I have fond memories of watching the grown-ups' faces contort as they hit that trick-track towards the end... 5- Phantom Theater was a good haunted house. Perhaps Disney World's is better, but not by much. Apparently, that ride was also just a little "too scary" for kiddie land, so they gutted it and turned it into an interactive ride similar to the Buzz Lightyear ride at Disney. It's more irritating than scary, and all the "special effects" consists of is neon paint and black lights. A travesty, I say. 6- What the hell is with the Beer Garden turning into "Bubba Gump Shrimp"? Don't get me wrong, the food was never "food" in the strictest sense of the word, but at least the Beer Garden had character. The park's in South Western Ohio, for crying out loud, we Krauts love our outdoor alcohol-peddling venues! I realize times change and rides don't last forever, but it just seems to me that each successive owner of Kings Island treats its past with less and less concern. It's all about building bigger, faster, shinier. Just wait until it becomes "cost ineffective" to maintain The Beast...